Need You Now
by Ivyshadow
Summary: “Zuko…” Katara trailed off. “Katara,” Zuko repeated. Then they said in unison, “I'm sorry.”


**I couldn't help myself. "Need You Now" by Lady Antebellum. Modern Zutara, AU of course. Comments, _lyrics, _**_thoughts, _story.** Enjoy! -Ivy**

_**x x x x x x x x x x**_

Need You Now

_**Picture perfect memories**_

_**Scattered all around the floor**_

_**Reaching for the phone**_

_**'Cause I can't fight it anymore**_

_**And I wonder if I ever crossed your mind**_

_**For me it happens all the time**_

Katara was fuming. She paced back and forth across her room, from the door to the window, and back again. Everywhere she turned, a picture of _him_ stared back. Whipping around again, she stalked back to the door. She needed to talk to someone, to vent her anger. _But who?_

Suki, her roommate, had offered to talk, but Katara had declined. Suki would just try to make her feel better, which Katara didn't want. Which is why she couldn't call her friend Aang either.

And Sokka, her brother, wouldn't be any help. He'd just ask who had hurt his poor little baby sister, then go beat whoever it was up. Tempting, but Katara knew that would just make her more upset later.

Katara needed someone who would tell her to get over it. Her friend Toph would do that, but Katara didn't want to talk to Toph.

_Then who _do_ you want to talk to? _Katara asked herself bitterly.

And the name that popped into her head was the one person she knew would help. Of course, it happened to be the very person she was avoiding. The person who had hurt her.

_**It's a quarter after one**_

_**I'm all alone and I need you now**_

_**Said I wouldn't call**_

_**But I lost all control and I need you now**_

_**And I don't know how I can do without**_

_**I just need you now**_

Katara glanced at the clock. 1:15 AM. She'd been pacing for an hour now. Grumbling under her breath, she plopped down, face first, onto her bed. For a few minutes, everything was silent. Katara took a deep breath, calmer than she had been all night.

Then her cell phone vibrated in her pocket.

Katara huffed in frustration. She pulled out the phone, glanced at the caller ID, and promptly threw it at the wall.

The phone snapped open, displaying Zuko's pleading text message.

Katara ignored it. After a while, the glowing screen drew her toward the phone. Sighing in frustration, she rolled off the bed and scooped up the phone. After reading the message, Katara groaned. _Why did he have to been so irresistibly charming!?_

_**Another shot of whiskey**_

_**Can't stop looking at the door**_

_**Wishing you'd come sweeping in the way you did before**_

_**And I wonder if I ever crossed your mind**_

_**For me it happens all the time**_

Zuko took another swig from his glass. Whenever he was upset, he drowned himself in alcohol. A bad habit, but he couldn't think of anything better.

He glanced at the door to his apartment. He knew it was his fault she had run out, screaming at him to go away and leave her alone, but he wished she would come back all the same. That's how it always happened before. They would fight and she would leave. But she always came back, sometimes minutes later.

But this time, she hadn't come back yet. And it had been over an hour. Maybe he had made a bigger mistake than usual. Maybe she wasn't going to forgive him this time.

Zuko glanced at his cell phone for the hundredth time since Katara had left. No new messages.

_**It's a quarter after one**_

_**I'm a little drunk and I need you now**_

_**Said I wouldn't call**_

_**But I lost all control and I need you now**_

_**And I don't know how I can do without**_

_**I just need you now**_

Tapping his fingers against the table, Zuko stared at his cell phone, willing it to give him a message from her. After a few minutes, he grabbed it, flipping it open. After another second of deliberation, Zuko typed away and sent the text message.

_She's gonna hate me for this,_ he thought to himself. _But it'll be worth it._

Zuko drained his glass. He rubbed at his eyes as the room blurred for a moment, then cleared up again.

Leaning back in his chair, he waited for the cell phone to vibrate.

_**Oh, oh**_

_**Guess I'd rather hurt than feel nothing at all**_

_**It's a quarter after one**_

_**I'm all alone and I need you now**_

_Why am I doing this?_ Katara asked herself yet again as she walked down the hall to his apartment. _Why, why, why!?_

She stopped in front of his door. _Guess I like hurting myself._ She raised her fist, hesitated for a moment, then rapped her knuckles against the door three times.

_**And I said I wouldn't call**_

_**But I'm a little drunk and I need you now**_

Zuko's head jerked to the side. He winced and rubbed at his neck. _Not possible… _The knocking came again. _Could it be…? No._ He shook his head to himself. _She wouldn't… Would she?_

Realizing he should probably go see who it was, Zuko stood shakily and trudged to the door. Pulling it open, he could not believe who was standing on the other side.

"Katara…"

_**And I don't know how I can do without**_

_**I just need you now**_

_**I just need you now**_

_**Oh, baby, I need you now**_

"Zuko…" Katara trailed off.

"Katara," Zuko repeated.

Then they said in unison, "I'm sorry."

Katara blushed, while Zuko turned his eyes toward the floor. He looked up when he felt arms around his neck. Katara's face was inches from his. And she was smiling. Zuko's mouth turned up into a grin.

"I'm sorry," Katara repeated. "I was wrong. I do need you." And when she kissed him, Zuko knew he needed her, too.


End file.
